So, posting this is probably horribly politically incorrect. However, I'm not so sure that it should be so.
On an internet forum that I frequent, someone has breast cancer. It has metasticized, and she is dying. She, herself, is a blogger, and seems to have a large following. I feel bad for her that she's dying, and her blog is for her to do with what she wishes. But I feel like I can't criticize it, because she's dying. Somehow, if I do, it makes me seem heartless and cruel. And, really, I don't read her blog, but did check on it a time or two to see how she's doing.
My opinion of her, as a person, is rather 'meh'. I just never saw us being friends, even before she was ill, but saying so now, makes me seem, again, heartless and cruel - like I have to be friends with all sick people. In the past, she has always been about image, even above comfort. She was constantly bragging on her (tiny) physical size (due to weight), the size of her boobs, etc. Even now, while ill to the point of death, she posts about her size/weight going in to the hospital, instead of just saying that she had gained X% or X pounds of water weight due to her illness. She didn't care that tanning herself leathery could give her skin cancer, and was always snarky to people who gave any well-meaning advice that she ought to avoid it. But I read an older post on her blog today, where she puts down people who try to offer comfort to her, due to her diagnosis. She has these 'snarky me' replies, when the comments that people make are not rude - yeah, some might be misguided, but that is mainly due to the problem of 'what do you say to a person who is dying?' issue. Her first post, right off, is being snarky to people who ask "is there anything I can do?" Instead, she says that people should offer to come over and clean her bathroom - just show up. In reality, if someone just showed up, at their convenience, say - in the middle of a family visit, or during dinner time - she would be angry that they didn't clear it first, even though that was her advice. People who make that sort of offer really want to help, but don't know what kind of help you need, so they leave it open ended for you to fill in the blank. For some reason, it really bothers me that she'd put down someone who was offering help, especially while insisting that she needs it, but doesn't want to express it because "'who would actually ask anyone for help? Would you?'" She talks about being treated normally, like she weren't ill. But her posts make me believe that if she were treated like a healthy person (i.e. work ability), she'd be upset because she should be granted some leeway due to her illness.
I find it all a double standard. But she is forgiven the snarkiness because, hey, she's dying. But if I were to express such a thing in response to her blog, or on that internet forum, I'm not forgiven because, HEY, she's dying. Even now, by posting it here, I court censure. We do share some of the same readers, because of that common forum. I'm just trying to point out the dichotomy in political correctness. It all has to be one-sided. It occurs elsewhere, in society, that one side must do all the compromising, or mea culpas, when the other side just gets to complain about being oppressed.
Is it wrong of me to speak out about the double standard? Is it wrong that I am not allowed to feel anger over something just because that person is dying? I guess it could be construed as a lack of compassion. However, I'm incredibly compassionate about the person being ill, but that doesn't necessarily negate that person's actions. It's not like you get a free pass because you're dying. Heck, I'll give you some personal leeway, but when you're advocating that everyone is heartless for making soothing comments, or attempts to cheer you up, or bolster your feelings, you've gone over the line.
Maybe it's just me.
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